


Go Back To Playing

by alicesalias



Category: The Umbrella Academy (Comics), The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Ben has been saying that for him for so long, Canonical Character Death, Dysfunctional Family, Family, Gen, I just love them and want them to be happy, Implied/Referenced Adiction, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Klaus needs help, Sibling Love, Vanya wants to be a good sister, siblings bonding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-17
Updated: 2019-02-17
Packaged: 2019-10-30 11:12:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,141
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17827508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alicesalias/pseuds/alicesalias
Summary: Once, when they were just kids, Klaus listened to Vanya playing her violin. Now that they are adults Klaus knocks on Vanya's door and does just the same.She might finally realize that just because her siblings are extraordinaire it doesn't mean that they are perfect.





	Go Back To Playing

**Author's Note:**

> I really love Vanya and Klaus and I think both of them could have been better siblings to each other. So here it is. Vanya and Klaus (with a bit of bonus Ben) bonding and supporting each other.

She could hear the loud footsteps of her brothers and sister echoing through the house. They were running around play-fighting. She knew it because she could also hear Alison's giggles, and Luther's grunts, and the whistle of Diego's knives, the warping noise of Five teleporting and from time to time the slithering and wet banging noises caused by Ben. They were having fun. Did they have to be so loud while doing it?

Vanya took a deep breath and restarted the song from the beginning. She couldn't play with them, she never could. But she would spend this time practicing and she would become the bestest violinist, they just wait and see!

–Auch! Auch! Damn it!- her train of thought is interrupted by the exclamation coming from just behind her.

Vanya jerks her head looking for who caused the noises, almost letting her violin fall in the process.

Behind her, laying at the sofa, shaking his hand and blowing at it was Klaus.

–Fucking stupid...- he mumbles still looking at his hand.

–Klaus? What happened? Did you got hurt play-fighting?– Vanya asks, putting her violin down

–I got hurt, but it was my own damn fault, I was playing with a lighter.– he mutters without looking at her.

–Want me to call mom?

–No, no.– he sighs– I'm okay.

There's a bit of an awkward pause.

–Why aren't you playing with them?– Vanya asks

–I can't exactly use my ability against them. Luther would just pick me up and throw me out of a window or something. Or worse Diego could impale me.

–Oh!... They wouldn't, would they?– she almost perks up, happy with the opportunity to talk to one of her siblings.

–I've seen the two of them do that to each other. I don't know...

–But you usually play with them, right?

–I usually either team up with Ben or do something else with him. Sometimes he doesn't want to use his powers, but Diego talked him into it today.

Vanya hums in agreement, thoughtful. She didn't think one of the other ones would be left out of something, she never stopped to think of the power dynamics between the rest of them (outside of One and Two, who were obvious about it). She thought there were those who were special and those who weren't. Those who were destined to great things and those who weren't.

–Well, come on. Go back to playing, don't let me get on the way. You're getting good at it.

Klaus says and gets a lighter out of his pocket, going back to ripping off and burning pages of a book. And so Vanya gets back to playing the violin, a smile spreading through her face.

 

**10 years later**

 

Vanya likes to keep the shutters open while she plays the violin in her living room (which also doubles as a kitchen). That way she can see the city, the buildings, the lights on each apartment. She likes to imagine everyone's lives, perfectly ordinary and sometimes perfectly happy. She likes to think of the cases on each those descriptors coincide. Vanya probably should be preparing classes for her students, but right now she much rather train the song for the audition to the orchestra. She's determined to get a chair.

But that will have to wait because she is interrupted by loud bangs against her door. Startled she holds the violin down and rests the bow on the case.

–Who is it?– she asks taking only a few steps towards the door. Who could be at this time? It was far past sunset.

–Vanyaaaaa... Vannyyaaa– a familiar voice calls her from the other side, mellow and stretched out.

She sighs in relief and opens the door to her brother.

–Klaus.

He slowly opens a smile.

–Hii, sis, long time no see.– he says and laughs as it if was a bad joke he made.

Vanya steps out of the way and Klaus walks in, draping himself on the couch.

–What are you doing here, Klaus?– she closes the door behind him and crosses her arms, sighing and frowning slightly at her brother. It had been a long time since the last time they saw each other. She was honestly not sure how he even knew her address.

–Do I need a reason to visit my sister?

–It is the first time any of you come by so...– she lets the sentence trail off, Klaus knew why she was a bit suspicious.

–Ok, ok, you got me Vanya– he throws his hands dramatically on the air.– I'm here because I just got out of rehab and needed a place to crash.

–Oh, Klaus...– she sighed and looked at her brother in pity, she had known he gotten worse from one of Alison's letters, but she had stopped sending these after she moved to LA. – You... You don't look sober, though.

She tried to say it tactfully, but he really didn't look sober. His shirt looked sweaty, his hair even messier than usual, his eyes slightly dazed, his voice too mellow. His boots' shoelaces were untied and the hem of his skirt was slightly ripped, but somehow she thought that would be the case even if he was sober.

–Well... I got out to celebrate! A month sober, I thought I needed a reward.

–I don't think that's how...– Vanya starts saying and is promptly interrupted.

–Not how it works. I know, I know, Ben told me that already, you don't need to say it.

–What are you on?– she asks after a pause

–Just alcohol, it barely counts. Oh, and a pill someone handed me on a night club.

Vanya sighs. Finally puts her violin in the case and carefully closes it, gathering the music sheets in a folder.

–Oh, Klaus. Come on, get on the bathroom and take a shower. I'll ready the couch for you.

–Thank youu, you're the best. None of the others would let me in...– he says while getting up and stumbling to the bathroom.

It makes Vanya stop on her feet. She almost laughs at that. She being the best.

–No, I know you would, but it's not like you...– Vanya hears Klaus mumbling to himself as he gets into the bathroom before the door closes cutting him off.

She hears the shower turning on and goes to her room. She grabs a blanket and a pillow and shuffles through her closet trying to find something that would fit Klaus. She settles for sweatpants and a button up shirt.

Vanya puts the pillow and the blanket down at the sofa just in time to hear the bathroom door open up and Klaus walk out, wrapped in a towel and with his hair wrapped a hand towel. 

–Here– Vanya hands him the clothes and Klaus goes back to the bathroom, coming back quickly afterward.

The button-up shirt was less tight than his own shirt was on him, but he let it open nonetheless. The sweatpants were still baggy on him, Klaus being as skinny as he was, but they ended in the middle of his calves since he was considerably taller than Vanya.

Klaus walks to the living room and flops over the couch in a fluid motion.

–Ahhh!– he exhales loudly– Thanks, this is such a nice change from Diego. Last time I had to crash in with one of you I went to Diego's and he didn't even let me in before giving me the full speech... And! His shower is cold!

Vanya walks to the countertop on the other side of the living room and starts boiling some water, occasionally humming in response to Klaus.

–He doesn't have any comfortable clothes either, I like leather as much as the next guy, but it's a pain in the ass to get into leather pants when you're as high as a kite.

She pours the water into two mugs with tea bags and walks back to the living space, sitting on an armchair next to the couch and handing Klaus one of the mugs.

–Alison moved to LA, but even before that she was too busy for me. And obviously...– he sits up and pauses to take the mug in both of his hands, sipping on it– Thanks. And obviously, I can't go to Luther and dad. Mister Number One obviously still lives on dad's and I don't want to get two speeches for the price of one. Especially not one of dad's speeches. If he would even bother to talk to me at this point. He pretty much gave up on me already.

Vanya crosses her legs on top of the armchair and sips on her tea. She was starting to think it is less like she is the best and more like she was the last option, but she still thought it was nice she was an option. That Klaus thought of her as part of the family.

–Then Five...– he makes a poping sound and mimics an explosion signifying Five's teleportation– And Ben... Yeah, I know... You said that already... I don't think so... She wouldn't...

–Klaus, what?– Vanya asks after Klaus stops making sense as if he was in another conversation altogether.

He raises an open hand to her as if asking her to wait and looks to his side.

–I don't think that's a good idea... Yeah, but if they know they are gonna be so much worse to me, "Klaus, say that to me. Now what is he saying, Klaus."... Is that's all you can talk about?... I know, sorry, I didn't mean... It's just Vanya either way, you weren't even that...

–Klaus.– Vanya interrupts him a bit more stern now, getting slightly worried about what drugs he might be on.

Klaus looks back and forth between her and the empty space beside him and than sighs loudly, rolling his eyes so much he even tilts his head along with it and stomping his feet.

–It's Ben– He mumbles and seeing the look of confusion in Vanya's face he elaborates– I can talk to him. Ever since the accident, he's been tagging along with me.

–Klaus. I thought...– she's aghast, she looks between Klaus and the space by his side– Alison had said you'd stopped doing that.

–Yeah, yeah... Mostly. Ben is determined, tho.

–What... What is he saying?

–See! I told you it would be like that!– Klaus says to the space by his side, to Ben she supposes– I'm not gonna say that to her!... Because I do not need that, say something to do with your own life, not mine.

–Ben– Vanya cuts in – I miss you. I'm sorry about... What happened to you.

Klaus looks at his sides for a bit and then says to Vanya.

–He said you're the last one to blame. He said that he is sorry. That he knows what is like to be alone now.– Klaus turns back to Ben and adds in a less serious tone- Which I thought it was a rude thing to say seeing how he has been pestering me none stop... I'm not the one to blame for that, am I Ben?... Or what? No say it!

Vanya chuckles, her eyes watering. Klaus stops what she presumes is bickering with Ben and look at her, fondness in his eyes.

–What... What about...– she's almost too afraid to ask– What about Five?

Klaus looks down at his mug, cupping it with both of his hands once again.

–I have never seen him... Which doesn't necessarily means anything. Even if he's... He could just have chosen not to come to me. Or he could have tried and my power was to week and useless.

Klaus takes a long sip of the mug and sighs, the sound transforming into a yawn.

–You should go to sleep, we'll talk in the morning– she says once she realizes just how deep his eye bags are– I was wrapping up with the violin anyways.

–No, no, no..– Klaus says after putting the mug on the coffee table and while laying back down– You should go back to playing, really. I've slept in much louder places.

–Are you sure?– she did want to keep playing, but Klaus really looked like he needed the sleep.

–Yeah, yeah. Besides I've always liked listening to you play and Ben says he did too– Klaus yawns loudly and pulls the blanket on top of him, closing his eyes– He also says you should help me, but don't listen to him, I'm fine... Hmmm, yeah. He says we love you, goodnight.

Vanya smiles and picks up the violin, afterall it wasn't always that not one, but two of her brothers wanted to hear her play.

–Goodnight Klaus, Ben. Love you too.

And the sound of Vanya's violin echoes through the small apartment.

 

**Author's Note:**

> It is just a short fic and it isn't beta read or anything, but I thought I might as well contribute to the fandom. We have a long wait ahead of us until season two :P


End file.
